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Greek · G2206 · unreviewed

ζηλόω

To have warmth of feeling for or against

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ζηλόω G2206
Pronunciation zēlóō

What does ζηλόω (zēlóō) mean in the Bible?

ζηλόω (zēlóō) is a Greek word meaning "to have warmth of feeling for or against". ζηλόω, -ῶ [in LXX chiefly for קָנָא pi. Joseph’s rejection through jealousy anticipates recurring resistance to God’s chosen deliverers.

Full entry for ζηλόω (G2206) · Browse the biblical lexicon

Meaning

to have warmth of feeling for or against
Extended definition

Intense desire or concern—either envious jealousy or zealous eagerness for spiritual gifts and truth.

1to burn with envy or jealousy, to be jealousy: absol., Act.7:9 17:5, 1Co.13:4, Jas.4:2 (R, mg., cf. Mayor, in l).
2to seek or desire eagerly: with accusative of thing(s), 1Co.12:31 14:1 14:39 (cf. Sir.50:18, Wis.1:12); with accusative of person(s), 2Co.11:2, Gal.4:17; pass., Gal.4:18.
Source: STEPBible TBESG + Abbott-Smith
Why This Word Matters
Joseph’s rejection through jealousy anticipates recurring resistance to God’s chosen deliverers. Acts 7:1-16
Grammatical Forms

How mood, tense, and voice shift the force of this verb in context.

Tenses
Present Aorist
Voices
Active Middle
Imperative command or strong request 3×
Present Active 1 Cor 12:31 · 1 Cor 14:1 · 1 Cor 14:39 3×
Participle verbal adjective — the action as a modifying quality 2×
Aorist Active Acts 7:9 · Acts 17:5 2×
Indicative states a fact or reality 4×
Present Active 1 Cor 13:4 · 2 Cor 11:2 · Gal 4:17 · Jas 4:2 4×
Subjunctive possibility, probability, or purpose 1×
Present Active Gal 4:17 1×
Infinitive verbal noun — the action in abstract 1×
Present Middle Gal 4:18 1×
11 total occurrences across all forms in the biblical text Morphology: MorphGNT SBLGNT — CC BY-SA 3.0
Discourse Aspect

How this verb appears across 12 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).

Aspect
ongoing 4 imperative 4 subjunctive 1 infinitive 1 participle 2
Tense
present 10 aorist 2
Voice
active 11 middle 1
Mood
imperative 4 indicative 4 participle 2 subjunctive 1 infinitive 1
NT Occurrences
Acts 7:9 ζηλώσαντες aorist active participle participle Acts 17:5 ζηλώσαντες aorist active participle participle 1 Corinthians 12:31 ζηλοῦτε present active imperative imperative 1 Corinthians 13:4 ζηλοῖ present active indicative ongoing 1 Corinthians 14:1 ζηλοῦτε present active imperative imperative 1 Corinthians 14:39 ζηλοῦτε present active imperative imperative 2 Corinthians 11:2 ζηλῶ present active indicative ongoing Galatians 4:17 ζηλοῦσιν present active indicative ongoing Galatians 4:17 ζηλοῦτε present active subjunctive subjunctive Galatians 4:18 ζηλοῦσθαι present middle infinitive infinitive James 4:2 ζηλοῦτε present active indicative ongoing Revelation 3:19 ζήλευε present active imperative imperative

Aspect reflects grammatical form — not authorial emphasis. Participles and infinitives are verbal adjectives and nouns respectively.

Clause data: MACULA Greek (Clear Bible, CC BY 4.0) · SBLGNT (Logos/SBL, CC BY 4.0)

Biblical Occurrences

Each occurrence shows the passage reference, the original language term as it appears in that context, its transliteration, and the contextual sense.

New Testament Witnesses
Acts 7:1-16 Jealous zēlóō Participle · Aorist Active
Moved by envy or rivalry.
Word Pictures (Robertson)

A.T. Robertson's Word Pictures in the New Testament (1930–31) discusses this term in the following chapters. Open any chapter and go to the Word Pictures tab to read his verse-by-verse commentary.

1 Corinthians 12 — One Spirit, Many Gifts, and One Body in Christ 1 Corinthians 13 — The More Excellent Way of Love 1 Corinthians 14 — Pursue Love, Desire Gifts, and Let All Things Be Done for Edification and Order Acts 17 — The Gospel Reasoned from Scripture and Proclaimed to the Nations Acts 7 — Stephen Testifies to Israel’s Resistance and Christ’s Glory

A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (1930–31) — public domain

Sources

MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain

Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0

Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0

STEPBible Data — CC BY 4.0

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